Eternity Is a Long Time
by kitkatritrat
Summary: Andromeda learned something from her little sister, and it wasn't how to fall in love. One-shot. -Kit Kat


**I do not own Harry Potter.**

**For the Let's End This the Way We Started It competition and the Love Hate Relationships competition.  
**

**-Kit Kat  
**

Eternity is a long time, Narcissa taught me that.

I remember when we were little girls, she would follow me around like a puppy. We had tea parties and pillow fights, something our mother considered undignified for purebloods.

"Will you always be my big sister, Andromeda?" Cissy asked me one day. I laughed and rumpled her little blonde head.

"Of course I will, silly."

"For all eternity, JoJo?"

I rolled my eyes, "Of course for all eternity. What on earth would make it so I was _not_ your big sister?"

"Cross your heart."

I crossed it.

~~~~oOo~~~~

I didn't realize how fast things could change, how easily my eyes were opened to the world in which we lived in. I remember sitting with the Sorting Hat on my head. I could feel hundreds of young eyes watching me.

_Hmmm…_ the Hat wondered_…ambition, yes, and a pureblood. But Slytherin? No, too much heart. Not necessarily a hard worker, but loyal to a fault. Just, kind, a bit naïve. Surely, Huf-_

_ No! _I thought so loudly I feared I might've said it aloud, _I've got to be in Slytherin. Mum was in Slytherin, so was Dad. _Bella's_ in Slytherin! I have to be in the same house as my sister… Very well, _the Hat replied-somewhat reluctantly, _it would've been my second choice._

"SLYTHERIN!"

~~~~oOo~~~~

In my third year Cissy joined Bella and I at the Slytherin table. That was about the time the rest of the girls my age were beginning to develop crushes on the other boys. I found most of the other pureblood boys…distasteful.

"C'mon, JoJo," Bella laughed, "you've got to fancy someone. What about that boy in your year, what's-his-name, Luke?"

"Lucius," Cissy interrupted, and then added in a whisper, "and I think he's absolutely wonderful."

"Whoops," Bella said and laughed, her raven black curls bounced as a fire lit in her eyes, a foreshadow of the madwoman she would someday be, "looks like Cissy's already got her eye on him. She's got good taste" -Cissy blushed- "alright then, who? What's your problem, JoJo? Nobody good enough for you?"

I gazed up and down the Slytherin table. It was noon and everyone was either chowing down or cramming in some extra study time. Sure, some of the boys were good-looking. But only a handful of them were pureblood, and only a few of the purebloods weren't related to me. That really wasn't the problem, though. I had made up my mind I was going to try to convince Mum it was alright if I married a half-blood. As long as they were Slytherin, right? Still, although some of the Slytherin boys were handsome, I couldn't manage to find one that I fancied in particular. None of them were kind or charming enough, or even friendly. I found that quite disheartening.

"It's not that they're not good enough, per say, it's more that…" I tried to find the right word, "I just don't find any of them _interesting._"

"_Oh_," Bella sighed dramatically, giving me a sly look, "well…what about Dolohov? He's in my year and head of the Dueling Club. That's interesting, isn't it?"

I looked five seats down at Antonin Dolohov. He was a mousy looking kid with untidy brown hair. Dolohov was trying to study while eating a sandwich, with was hanging halfway out of his mouth while he tried to hold his book and use his free hand to reach for the marmalade. I had to admit, he _was_ a good dueler. I once saw him dangle some poor Gryffindor first year by his ankle and then fling him across the courtyard using only nonverbal spells. The horrible part was all the Slytherins had cheered. Like that was…._admirable_…or something. I just didn't understand it.

"Oh _my,"_ I said sarcastically, jerking my head in his direction, "he's just _charming_ isn't he?"

Bella looked over at him and wrinkled her nose, slightly disgusted. Dolohov continued eating, unaware of the conversation going on a few seats over.

"Okay, you have a point. But don't worry, JoJo, we'll find somebody for you."

I wished I could've told her what I was thinking. That I didn't want someone _found_ for me. Especially mother. She was bound to match me up with someone even more revolting than Dolohov. I wanted to find my own love, and my own life.

I glanced over at the Hufflepuff table. They were laughing heartily, it seemed they had started a food fight. A dinner roll flew over in our direction. The Hufflepuff always seemed so lighthearted, so kind. I often wondered what would have happened if I'd been sorted there. If would've had more fun, if I would have actually felt as if I belonged. Then I reminded myself I'd have been disowned and I snapped right back into reality.

~~~~oOo~~~~

I remember the first time I ever really doubted my decision to be in Slytherin. It was when I first met Ted Tonks, in my fifth year.

I had the unintelligent idea to try to carry three books and quill, ink, and parchment all the way to Tranfiguration. Why I did not use my bag I have no idea. Nevertheless, I'm glad I didn't, because it affected the rest of my life. Because when I rounded a corner I bumped, literally, into Ted.

"Ow!" he had yelped. My quill was stuck in his index finger and I had spilled blue ink all over his school robes.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," I'd gasped, trying to remember a spell for cleaning things while scooping my books off the ground.

"No, it's not a problem," he said graciously. He cleaned his robes off and helped me pick up my books, not in that order.

"I'm Ted Tonks," he said as he offered his hand. I shook it.

"Andromeda Black," I replied, enjoying the handshake. Little butterflies flittered around in my stomach. He glanced at the emerald green badge on my chest.

"Oh," he'd said simply. He handed me my books and walked away.

"Wait!" I'd hollered after him. He didn't seem to hear me.

~~~~oOo~~~~

I spent the next few weeks after that finding out as much as I could about the mysterious Ted Tonks. He just seemed so...average. Calm, polite, a breath of fresh air in a the blood-staus-obsessed world I was forced to live in. He was a normal Hufflepuff sixth year with average grades. He ate lunch with a small group of friends and rooted for the Tutshill Tornadoes.

He was a muggleborn.

~~~~oOo~~~~

I also remember the first time my heart ever broke.

I was standing outside the Quidditch pitch after the last Slytherin verses Hufflepuff game in my last year. I hadn't cheered for either team.

"I don't know how many times I have to tell you this, Andromeda," Ted said angrily. His sandy blond hair was rumpled and wet from the pouring rain. I was soaked, but I was far from caring,

"I…do…not…love…you. I never will. You are stuck-up full-of-yourself pureblooded Black!"

"That's not fair!" I cried, my tears mingled with the raindrops that had turned my black hair I spent so long straightening frizzy, "I'm different!"

"Oh, really? Remember _this_? 'He's nothing but flithy mudblood, Bella, why would I fancy him?' 'Look at those horrid shoes Susan Carpenter's wearing, Cissy. I wouldn't be caught dead in those things.' 'Oh, God, what a wimpy-"

"I get it, okay? You hate me. But that's not me! I only said those things to appease them. You don't understand…"

"I think I do! You might not be as bad as them but…"

"I'm still a _Black, _right?"

"Yes," he said, seething, he took and step towards me, "and I'm still a 'filthy mudblood' aren't I, _JoJo."_

"Don't call me JoJo!" I screamed, "That's not my name! It's Andromeda. And you're not a fil-"

"Yes, I am, Andromeda. That's what I am. And you know what? I'm proud of it."

Then he turned his back to me and walked away. I ran up to him and grabbed his arm.

"I don't care," I said my eyes puffy and red, "I don't care if they care, either. Because…because I love you, Ted Tonks."

"Maybe I _would_ love you...if your weren't so bloody proud."

"What do I have left to be proud of?"

"I don't..."

"Don't tell me you don't love me, not again. I can't live with those words still ringing in my ears."

"You won't have to."

And then he kissed me.

~~~~oOo~~~~

I'm sitting here now, holding my baby girl in my arms. She has purple hair, and I think she is the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.

Eternity is a long time. Some things don't last an eternity. My sister's love didn't. They've become only shadows of who they used to be. Murders, Death Eaters, dark and lonely.

But some things do. Like love.

Ted smiles down at us and holds my hand. I smile and feel warmth spread to my cheeks. I cross my heart, I will love him for all eternity.


End file.
